Page 18 of Highlander’s Dangerous Love

“We’ve grown up taegether an’ shared much — work, play, battle, whiskey, even…lasses.”

“Colin, I dinnae like where this is goin’,” Bryce warned.

“Aye, I ken. But it needs tae be said. I think those days are comin’ to a close.”

Bryce’s expression was utterly unreadable. Colin could swear he saw his jaw clench in the light of the fire, but there was no other indication of his mood. That was never a good thing.

“I am to be married,” Colin finally said.

Instead of being upset, Bryce’s face cracked into a smile.

“Why would ye say it that way? I thought ye were tellin’ me somethin’ much worse!” Bryce said, clapping Colin on the back.

“Well, I havenae told ye everythin’ yet,” he said, nervous about Bryce’s reaction yet again. He took another sip of whiskey in preparation.

“Ye really are draggin’ this out,” Bryce commented.

“Aye, well. ‘Tis Gemma. She will be my wife.”

That was more along the lines of the reaction he’d expected. Now he could see that Bryce’s jaw did clench in anger. His face was almost a snarl, but he kept his voice low and even.

“I see. An’ have ye made this known tae her?”

Colin gulped nervously. He wasn’t going to lie to his friend, especially not when asked so directly.

“Aye. We are…close. And we have been for some time now. I wanted tae speak tae ye about this earlier, but at the hunt, after yer fall, I thought…it wasnae a good time.”

Bryce shook his head, then buried his face in his hands. Colin’s entire body was alight with nervous energy. There was no telling how Bryce would truly react. He’d always hidden his true feelings from everyone else in an effort to appear strong; he’d really only broken down once or twice in front of Colin, and it had been heart-wrenching. Now that Colin was the source of possible anger, he waited with bated breath to see what would happen next.

“Ye mean tae steal her away from me,” Bryce accused. His tone was low and menacing.

“Steal? Nay, nay, I…I wouldnae do such a thing.”

“But ye kent I had feelings for her.”

“I didnae realize ye spoke so true. I thought ye just thought her bonny. Ye are quite popular wi’ the lassies.”

“What’re ye tryin’ tae say, Colin?” he asked, raising his voice and standing up. This caught the attention of some of the other guards, but they side-eyed the duo and continued with their conversation. “That I am…flighty? Cannae commit tae anythin’?”

“Nay, Bryce,” Colin said, standing up as well, “I said nothin’ of the sort. ‘Tis just that ye have a history wi’ lasses. I thought Gemma might just be yer latest infatuation.”

“So ye do think that way,” Bryce said hotly.

“Nay. Please calm yerself. Ye’re not in yer right mind,” Colin said as gently as he could manage.

“Calm myself?!” Bryce shouted.

The other guards now gave them their full attention. Instead of side-eyeing them, they looked on with large eyes, expecting a fight.

“Let us speak reasonably about this,” Colin said.

Bryce snapped his head at the other guards who watched their argument eagerly.

“What’re you lot lookin’ at? Scram, ‘afore I skin ye for leather!”

The other guards didn’t have to be told twice. When Bryce was upset or in the heat of battle, he could be fearsome indeed. After seeing him on the training grounds, they were smart enough not to cross him.

“I dinnae think that was reasonable,” Colin counseled. He did not say it to be a little shite; he meant it in a helpful way, but Bryce did not see it in that manner.